The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-02-19
SERVICE PENSIONS.
The Dependent Parent and In
digent Soldier Bill Vetoed
by the President.
Full Text or the Executives Mes
sage Directing to the
Measure.


dependent pension bill. Tho text OF tho mos
sage In as follows.
TO the House OF Representatives: Herewith
return without my approval House bill No.
i0i57. entitled AN at for the relief OF depend
ent parents and honorably discharged soldiers
and sailors who are now disabled and depend
ont upon their own labor for support
This 10 the first general bin that has been
sanctioned by Congress sinco tile close OF the
late civil war permitting pension 70 the sol
diors and sailors who served In that war upon
the ground OF service and present disability.
Alone and tho entire absence OF any injuries
received by thecasualties or incidents OF such
service.
while by almost constant legislation since
the close OF this war there has been compcnsn-
ton awarded for every possible injury received
as result OF military service In tho Union
army, and while n great number OF laws passed
for that purpose have been administered with
great liberality and have been supplemented
by numerous private acts 20 reach special
cases. there has not. until ow, been an ayowed
departure from tho principle thus far adhered
TO respecting Union soldiers, that the bounty OF
the Government in the way OF pensions is
generously bestowed whom granted 20 those
who, I'm this military service and In line 81
military duty. have 20 greater or less extent
been disabled.
-But Il is a mistake TO suppose that service
pensions, such permitted by the second
section OF the bill under consideration, are new
70 our Legislation. In 1918 tnirty-iyo years after
tho clOae OF tho Revolutionary war, they wer0
granted 70 tho soldiers engaged in that strug-
gle, conditional upon service 20 the end Of tho
war. or for term not less than nine months,
and requiring every beneficiary under the act TO
bo one who Is, or hereafter by reason OF his re-
duced circumstances In life shall BIO, I'm necd
OF assistance from his country for support An
other law OF like character was passed In 1873,
requiring service to the close OF the Rev
dictionary war. and still another. passed in
1882, provided for those persons not included in
the previous statute, but who served two years
at some time during tho war, and giving pro-
portionate sum 20 those who had served not
less than six months.
"A service pension law was passed for tho
benefit OF the soldiers Of 1912 In the year ISL
hfty-six years after the close OF the war (which
required only sixty days service. and another
passed I'm 1875 sixty-threo years after tho
requiring only fourteen days service.
Tho service pension bill passed at this Sos
sion Of Congress, thirty nine years after the
close OF tue Mexican war, for the benefit OF tho
soldiers OF that war; requires either some de-
gree OF disability or dependency that the
claimant under its provisions should be 62 years
OF age ; and In either case that he should have
served sixty days or been actually engaged In n
battle.
1T will bo soon that the bill OF 1878 and the
Mexican pension bill being thus pnssd nearer
the close Of the wars in which It's benehcarios
were engaged than tho othors-one thrty-nyo
years and tho other thirty-nine years after tho
termination OF such wars-embracod persons
who were quito advanced i'm age assumed TO be
comparatively few In number, and whose cir
cumstances, dependence and disabilities wero
clearly defined and could be quite easily fixed
-Tho other laws referred 10 appear TO have
been passed at time so remote from the mill
tary service OF the persons which they en-
braced that thor extreme age alone was deemed
TO supply presumption OF dependence and
need.
@Tho number OF enlistments in tho revolu-
tionary is stated 10 be 800 79l, and in the
war OF 1872, 576,622 but IL 10 estimated that on
account OF repeated ro-enlistuonts the mum
Der OF individuals engaged ia these wars did
not exceed ono-half OF the number represented
by those ngurcs; In tho war with Mexico tho
number OF enlistments IS reported 20 be n2,23O,
which represents n greater proportion Of indi-
viduals engaged than tho reported enlistmonts
in the two previous ware.
"Tho number OF pensions granted under all
laws 10 soldiers OF the revolution IL given at
62,0C0; 10 soldiers OF the war OF 1879 aud their
widows, COLTS, and 20 soldiers OF tho Mexican
and their widows, up 20 juno 80. 1886,
1913 This number OF pensions was granted to
tho soldiers OF n war involving much hardship
for disabilities incurred as result OF such
service, and IL was not till within the last
month that the few remaining survivors were
awarded n service pension.
-Ihe war OF the rebellion terminated nearly
twenty-five years ago the number OF men fur
nshed for it's prosecution is said 10 be 2,7I2 iOS
Under these statutes 53l,516 pensions have been
granted from the year 1861 10 June 30, 1886, and
moro than 1900 pensioners have been added TO
the rolls by private acts passed 10 meet cases
many of them Of questionable merit, which the
general laws did not cover. On July 1. 1885,
SG5.673 pensioners OF all classes were upon the
pension rolls, OF whom 30, 6j5 were survivors OF
the war Of the rebellion and their widows and
dependents for the year ending June 30 1881
mont OF pensions, and tho amount expended
for that purpose from 1901 10 July l. 1886, is
ScOS624, Sll.5i.
While annually paying out such vast sum
for pensions already granted. IL ~ now proposed
by tho bill under consideration TO award a SER
vice pension TO soldiers Of NIL wars Ia which the
United states has been engaged, including, OF
course, the war OF the rebellion, and 30 pay
those entitled 20 the benefit OF the act Sl2 per
month 60 far as u relates TO tho soldiers OF tho
late civil war, the bounty II Affords them Is
given thirteen years earlier than IL has boon
furnished 90 the soldiers Of any other war; and
before a large majority OF it's benchciaries have
advanced I'm age beyond tho strength and vigor
Of the prime OF life. IL exacts only n military
naval service Of three months, without any
requirements OF actnal engagement with AN
enemy I'm battle, and without a subsection TO
any OF the actual dangers Of war
The pension 10 awards a. allowed to enlisted
men who have not suffered the least injury,
disability, loss, or damage OF any kind incurred
in or In any degree referable TO their military
service. including those who never reached tho
yous at the close 81 the war n discharged three
months aitor enlistment. Under the last call
OF the President for troops. In December, 1864,
II sos men we're furnished who were thus dis
charged.
The section allowing this pension does, how
ever. require. besides u service OF three months
and AN honorable discharge, that those seokinz
the benefit a the act shall be such a. are now
or may hereafter DO suffering from montal on
physical disability not the result ~ their own
vicious habits or gross carclessness, which In
capacitatos thom for the per orrnnnco OF labor
Ina such n degree as 20 render thcm unable 20
earn support and who arc dependent upon
thor daily labor for support
1t provides fur thcr that such persons shall
upon making proof Of the fact. 'be placed on the
list Of invalid pensioners 81 tho United States.
and bo entitled 10 receive for such total ina
billty o. procure their subsistence by daily La
Dor sl2 per month, and such penai n shall COM
mcncc from the hling of the application In the
Pension once upon proof that the disability
then existed and continue during the existence
OF the same In the degree herein provided, that
existing laws. or whose claims ara pending In
the Pension Office, may. by application 10 the
Commissioner Of Pensions in such form aa lac